Your Symptoms, My Condition
by michelle1203
Summary: Bruce Banner has met a girl and is starting to enjoy life a little more. Tony's relationship with Pepper is thriving and he thinks Bruce should be able to enjoy his relationship as well. After discovering a serum that supresses The Other Guy momentarily, will Bruce be able to have a normal relationship and even a family? Can he handle it or will The Other Guy ruin things? Bruce/OC
1. Symptom

My first Avengers story. This is a possible one-shot.

Disclaimer: I only own Addison.

All anxiety and panic attack symptoms and conditions below are based on my personal experiences with my conditions and are not meant to cover anyone else's wholistic experience with these conditions.

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My stomach churned again and again. Shifting the damp cloth on my eyes, I tried not to think about how much I wanted to empty the contents of my stomach. An inward groan later and I was at the edge of the bed. I grabbed the trash can.

"I take it you're not feeling any better?"

Bruce's hands pulled my hair away from my face. I didn't understand why I was so sick these past few days. After I finished, I wiped a shaky hand across my mouth.

"I-I don't want to ask the obvious but you've been sick almost all week. Is everything...um...okay?"

I didn't have to look up to know he was red with embarrassment. Bruce's concern was valid. There was a pull in the pit of my stomach as I looked at the calendar. Shit. I was four weeks late. I thought about the serum Bruce and Tony had created that successfully suppressed The Other Guy so Bruce and I could have sex. Tony felt that Bruce should be able to spend time with me the way he spends time Pepper. It took them months but the Science Bros finally figured it out.

I thought about the multiple times Bruce and I used it since its creation two months ago. All the pent up sexual frustration finally released in more ways than one. Our bedroom, the bathroom, and even once in the lab. Our living room flashed into my head. Bruce kissing the top of my head as we laid on the floor, sweaty, satisfied. My head on his hairy chest, my arms around him, scared as hell to let him go. Had we conceived then?

I thought back to that day. Bruce, Tony, and the rest of the Avengers had left on a dangerous mission. Pepper tried to calm me down the best she could, but even she was concerned when it was 48 hours later on a mission that was supposed to take 24. We'd thought we'd lost them. I'd gone back to our apartment to nervously wait. The moment Bruce came through the door half dressed in torn pants, our lips touched. He slammed the door shut and picked me up. I wrapped my legs around his waist, grinding my hips against his. He'd moved his lips to my neck. I cried his name. Bruce laid me on the couch, quickly gave himself his shot, I took off my pants, and-

I reached for the trash can again. "Dammit," I groaned when nothing came out. "Bruce, I can't be...can you even...?"

He scratched his curls, "I'm sure I could. Addison, honestly, you're the first girl I've gone that far with since the accident. I-I haven't given it much thought."

I couldn't fault him. Here he thought he'd never have sex again, and suddenly he's discovered something that has given him an opportunity to do it without worrying about losing control of himself. I wasn't careful either. For someone who worried about every little thing, why hadn't I worried about getting pregnant? I remembered why. I was just as excited as he was that the serum was working. Each time we were about to start, I didn't bother to grab a condom. I was never on birth control either. We weren't having sex before now, so I told myself I didn't need it. We were both to blame. Neither of us had given the possibility of me getting pregnant much thought.

"Bruce...I'm pregnant?" I felt myself saying the questioning statement. A question not just for him but for myself. I'm pregnant. I'm pregnant? I'm currently growing a baby in my body. I ran a hand over my face. Fear rose inside me.

Bruce must've seen the look in my eyes because he took my cheeks in his hands. "Ah, ah, ah. Look at me. Deep breaths. It's going to be okay."

"Bruce, God, Bruce," I was slipping quickly into another episode and Bruce knew it. "I'm going to, we're going to, I can't, you can't-"

"Shh, shh. Stop. Breathe. Shh. Easy."

My eyebrows knitted together. "Bruce." I gripped his forearms as if touching him would stabilize my mind.

While he has problems with his anger, I have problems with my fears and worries. I have Generalized Anxiety Disorder and Severe Panic Disorder. My episodes consist of worrying about everything and anything from idiotic things, like if my phone will catch fire in my pocket, to major things like, if someone will come and take Bruce away. The worrying is constant and being on medication has helped, but only slightly. The panic attacks come in any situation from meeting new people, like when I first met the Avengers, to picking what type of bread I want at the store. I remember Bruce having to physically carry me out of a Target because of the latter situation.

"Take deep breaths." Bruce coached. "In through your nose, out through your mouth."

My breathing quickened. Tears pooled in my eyes. My chest started to hurt. Bruce didn't let go of my face.

"Addison. Stop. Take a deep breath." His voice was firm, switching him from Bruce to Dr. Banner. Only when my eyes focused on his dark ones did he continue. "Okay, on the count of three, I want you to breathe in with me. Alright? Remember? Just the way I taught you. One...two...three."

Bruce inhaled through his nose and I did too. After two seconds, he released the breath slowly through his mouth and I did the same. We continued this until I managed to calm down.

Once I was breathing normally, Bruce kissed my forehead, and released my face. "There you go, see there you are. There's my girl. Addison, sweetheart, are you okay now?"

I shook my head, "N-No."

"What's wrong?"

"Bruce, I'm pregnant."

"Why is that a bad thing?" He asked.

"Because you don't want children," I looked into his eyes. I could feel the fear rising again. "I'm not stable enough, you get angry, your father, we can't-"

"Who says we can't?"

"We're not, we won't be like other parents-"

"So? Look, Addison, I love you."

I pulled away from him slightly. I knew he loved me but the way he said it this time was different, but in a good way. I reached up and touched his stubbled cheek. "I love you, too Bruce."

"The way I see it, as long as we both love each other, who's to say we won't be good parents? I-I know we didn't exactly plan this, and we both have certain...problems, but I won't be like my father." His hands moved under my shirt to my unpronounced stomach. His thumbs rubbing soothing lines against my skin. "I will love this baby as much as I love you. If I love you, I'm sure our baby will be safe. Granted we'll be careful, but...I think things will be alright."

"Are you sure?" I anxiously covered one of his hands with my own. "I don't want to go through with this if you don't want me to. I'd rather not at all than alone."

"I want you to."

"Good, because I kind of want to, too."

Bruce made a face, "Kind of?"

"I'm scared. I'm...I'm terrified."

"Of course you're scared. You're going to have a baby."

"I'm going to have a baby," I repeated. A small smile graced my lips.

"We're going to have a baby, Addison."

"We're going to have a baby." I leaned forward and kissed him.

Bruce grinned against my lips. His hands moved from my cheeks, to my hair, then slowly down my back. I touched his shoulders, pressing against him to remove the space between us. After a moment, I let go.

"We're going to have to tell Tony."

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Please review. I may continue and explain how they met, the importance of Tony and Pepper in their relationship. But that depends on what people think.


	2. One Year Ago

**Disclaimer: I only own Addison.**

I've decided I'm going to continue this story.

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_One year ago..._

"This girl knows about your condition?"

Tony walked towards Bruce who typed something on his computer.

"Yes," Bruce touched the monitor and began adjusting the levels on the screens. "I told her everything and she's more than okay with it."

"Has she seen you...you know...big and green?"

"Not in person. Just the stuff from the papers and the news. Frankly, I'd like to keep it that way for now. I've only just really started to go out with her. I don't know if The Other Guy would see her as a threat or not."

"Do you think she'd be scared if she saw you that way in person?"

"Honestly?" Bruce looked at Tony from his monitor, "No. This girl gets rattled by things but not by that."

"Really?" Tony's eyebrows rose. "Hmm."

Bruce took off his glasses, "She's different. I told her about the whole Loki thing, how I finally figured out how to control myself. She didn't even flinch. She was happy for me."

"Damn. So, when do I get to meet Wonder Woman?"

"Now, actually. I promised I'd have lunch with her." After checking his watch, Bruce typed in his code to lock his work. "Let's go."

"Ready when you are."

The two scientists walked out of the lab and down the hallway towards the elevator.

"Tony, be nice. I really like this girl." Bruce warned. "I don't want you scaring her off."

"Look, if she's been with you for four months with your condition, I seriously doubt anything I say would scare her off. No offense Big Guy." Tony gave him a pat on the back. "Where is she?"

They noticed a girl with mousy brown hair standing by the elevator. She seemed to be in her early 30s. She was dressed in dark, skinny pants and a button up that he recognized immediately as Bruce's. A small purse hung at her side, it's long strap slung across her body. At first, she didn't strike him as Bruce's type, but then Tony realized that he never really pictured any girl with Bruce.

"Bruce," she greeted.

She took a few steps closer to the two of them. Tony could tell something with her wasn't exactly square. She didn't seem like she was hiding something, but she seemed...off. A blush flooded her rounded cheeks at the sight of his friend. She stood on her toes to kiss Bruce. The ballet flats she wore did nothing to help her height. If anything, it made her seem even smaller. After all, she was about half a foot shorter than the two of them.

Tony watched Bruce lean down to catch her lips, bridging the difference between their height. He immediately wondered just how dwarfed this girl would be compared to Bruce in his Hulk form. As the two finished kissing, Tony looked at her full lips. He was wrong. Bruce did have a type. He thought back to the pictures he'd researched of Bruce's ex Betty. Yes, this girl definitely solidified Bruce's type: brunette, full lipped, and fair skinned.

"So this is the girl you've been keeping from me?" Tony interjected. "Good catch, Banner. She's pretty." He held out his hand. "Tony Stark."

She tucked a wavy lock behind her ear. "Hi, nice to meet you."

She looked at his hand, almost as if she were unsure of his intentions, then placed her palm in his. She shook his hand. Tony watched her and took notice of something strange. Judging by the tremor in her hand, the poor girl was actually scared of him. If not scared then anxious about meeting him. He could feel how quick her pulse was. Most people were nervous about meeting him for the first time, so he brushed it off.

She looked at her feet, then at Bruce. "Is this the Tony you keep telling me about?"

Tony admired how awkward she and Bruce were. Yes, they definitely belonged together.

"Yes," Bruce smiled. "Uh, Tony, I'd like you to meet Addison Grimmshaw, my girlfriend."

"Nice to meet you," Tony gave a small smile.

"I'm glad you two are finally getting to meet." Bruce's arm was curled around her back. His hand resting on her hip. He really did love her, didn't he?

Addison looked up at Bruce and then across at Tony. "Bruce talks a lot about you."

Suddenly, it hit him. Anxious. Tony realized why Addison didn't seem exactly square. "Rex had Generalized Anxiety Disorder, too," he noted. "How long has it been bugging you?"

Addison's hazel eyes widened. She began to fiddle with the hem of her shirt. She bit her lip.

"Oh, come on. Toy Story? That little green dinosaur, he had G.A.D. How long have you had it?"

"Since...since I was little. How did you know? Bruce, did you-?"

"No, I never said a word. Tony, are you sure this is an appropriate way to discuss-?"

"Relax, Big Guy. Figuring out that Rex, here, has G.A.D. was preschool stuff." Tony gestured at Addison. "She's shaking like a leaf, her nails are chewed, and, I mean, just look at her overall body language. She screams anxiety. Rex's been freaking out about me and she's probably worried about twenty other things right now."

Addison closed her eyes, trying hard to calm her breathing. Bruce noticed and hoped she didn't slip into a panic attack.

"Sweetheart, are you okay?" he asked.

"I'm fine. B-Bruce...keep him around." She smiled. "He might not have tact, but Tony's a good friend."

"Thank you, Addison," Tony grinned. "Banner told me that you own a coffee shop?"

"Um, yeah. Grimmshaw's, in lower Manhattan. It was my grandmother's, then my mother's. My mom has passed it to me, so I own it. But my mom, aunt, and best friend help me. I can't exactly run it alone. Especially not with my conditions."

"You have more than G.A.D?"

She nodded but didn't explain. Instead, Tony figured it was something she didn't exactly like to talk about.

"Interesting how alike you and Banner are." Tony looked from Addison to Bruce, then Addison again. "You're both so secretive about who you really are. When I first met this Big Guy, he probably would've gotten away with not telling me about his rage monster problem had I not known about him beforehand. In any case, you need to learn to embrace yourself, like your man candy did."

"I'm trying to come to grips with myself, Mr. Stark." Addison admitted. "It's just...it's taking some time."

"Well, if you need any help, let me know. Rex, medication can be shit if your doctor doesn't know what they're doing. Bruce and I can get you square."

"Tony!" Pepper turned the corner, her heels clicking against the tiled floor. She looked down at the small stack of papers in her hands. "I swear I've been looking for you everywhere up here. You weren't in the lab, you weren't in the bathroom-"

Tony made a face and turned toward Pepper. "You actually looked for me in the bathroom?"

"Yes, Tony." Pepper pursed her lips. "I told you I looked for you all over this floor. I need your feedback on this proposal. Jennifer at the desk said you were in R&D with Bruce, I came up here and didn't see you."

"Obviously you weren't looking hard enough, I've been right here. See, the elevators right there?"

"Yeah, but there's at least two sets on this floor," Bruce mentioned. Pepper looked at him then gave a smirk to Tony, who glared at him. "Sorry, not helping?"

"He has a point. Besides," Pepper sat in her hip, "would it kill you to be serious for a minute and look over this proposal before I approve of this?"

"You know you can approve of things without my thumbs up, Pep. I trust your judgement. And actually, I was being serious for more than a minute." Tony turned to Bruce and Addison. "Banner was just introducing me to his girlfriend of four months, Addison Grimmshaw."

"Addison Grimmshaw?" Pepper followed Tony's motion and her eyes widened. "Oh God! Addison! I'm so sorry. I can't believe I didn't see you. How are you?"

Pepper thrust the papers against Tony's chest. Throwing her arms around Addison, Pepper rested her chin on her shoulder. Addison wrapped her arms around Pepper. The two rocked from side to side.

"Wait, why do you two look so comfortable with each other?" asked Tony.

Bruce's brow furrowed, "You two know each other already?"

Addison pulled away from Pepper with a smile, "Yeah. Pepper's been coming to the shop for years. One of my best customers."

"Ever since she got with Bruce, we've been talking more than just the usual 'how's things?'." Pepper squeezed Addison's hand. "Still up for movie night on Friday?"

"Wait, so you're the movie night girl." Tony shook a finger at Addison.

"Guilty," Addison gave a sheepish grin.

"At least now I know who's been taking away my CEO on Friday nights. Alright Banner, I guess the consensus is that your girlfriend's good enough to stay."

Bruce stuffed his hands in his pockets, "I...I don't think you really had a say in the matter, but okay."

"Look, I don't hate her, and Pep's having damn movie nights with her. She knows about your condition and hasn't run off. I say take good care of Addison, Big Guy. This girl might be with you for the long haul."

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Please review. I hope Tony and Pepper weren't too OOC.


	3. Testing

**Disclaimer: I only own Addison. **

Contains Lemon. I rewrote it and I'm much happier with this version of the chapter.

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_Two Months Ago..._

"How do you feel?" I looked at Bruce expectantly.

"I feel The Other Guy in there like I usually do," Bruce admitted. "But, it feels slightly different. I-I can't exactly explain it."

"Different in a good way, or a bad way?"

"I'm not sure, but it might be a good thing."

"Do you...do you want to find out?"

"Sure." Bruce smiled and kissed me.

He'd just injected himself with a serum that, if successful, would suppress The Other Guy for a few hours. Bruce and Tony had finally figured it out and now all that was left was testing it out. Bruce and I stood in a bedroom in Stark Tower. Tony, who had anticipated this day, renovated one of the rooms in the R&D floor to into a bedroom. His reasoning?

_"If you and the big guy try to lambada in the sheets and he hulks out, he'll end up smashing my stuff and not yours. I can replace all the lab equipment. You can't replace the memories and sentimental junk in your apartment." _

Bruce and I stood in front of the California king bed. Tony's voice entered my head again.

_"Both of you are those quiet types. You know, all reserved until they get riled up. I figured you'd be freaky in the bedroom. You're going to need all the space you can get. It's been a long time for both of you, hasn't it? You look like a screamer. You're a screamer, aren't you?" _

My heart pounded when Bruce broke the kiss. I looked up at him, my bottom lip under my front teeth. The pulse monitor on his wrist gave a small beep. For now, he was still even.

"I'm not even sure how well this is going to work," Bruce ran his thumb against my cheek. "If it even does work."

I played with one of his shirt buttons, "I hope it does."

"Me too. Are you scared?"

My head bowed. On our one year anniversary, Bruce's pulse got too high when I kissed him. The Other Guy hurt me so badly that I ended up with stitches, bruises, and a fractured wrist. I hoped, no, I prayed that the serum Bruce and Tony made would work.

Bruce lifted my chin, "We'll start out easy, okay?"

"Okay."

We started with a kiss. His lips pressed firmly against mine while his hands ran up and down my body. I leaned against him and worked my lips with his. I smiled when I felt the tickle of his stubble against my skin. I always loved the way that felt. Bruce's hands moved from my cheeks, to my shoulders, and down my back. I moaned. I wanted more.

"Addison," Bruce let go of my lips and adjusted his glasses. "Do you want to speed things up a little?"

My boyfriend the mind reader. "_Please_."

He grabbed the hem of my shirt and pulled it over my head. I must have sounded desperate. Bruce's mouth found my neck, biting, licking, sucking, kissing every spot that he knew would made me moan. My eyes rolled shut. I knotted my hand in his curls and begged him for more. Bruce continued eagerly. His right hand found my breast and squeezed.

"Bruce!"

He didn't stop there. His lips found my sweet spot behind my ear. I cried out again.

"Is something wrong?" He asked innocently.

He knew exactly what he was doing. Knowing that Bruce knew exactly how to wind me up made me want him even more.

"Nothing's wrong, _Dr. Banner_." I slowly unbuttoned his shirt.

Bruce groaned, "What are you doing?"

I slid his shirt past his shoulders and watched it join mine on the floor. Bruce watched me curiously. My left hand found the front of his pants while my right ran down his chest. I unzipped his pants and pushed them to the floor.

"Addison...what are you doing?"

"Nothing, Dr. Banner. Just exploring your anatomy." I smiled when he sucked in a breath. Something told me I was playing out one of his fantasies. I decided to play with him a bit. My hand slipped past his underwear and he swore. His rigid member twitched. I began to stroke him slowly. "Tell me Dr. Banner, you've fantasized about me, haven't you?"

"Yes..." Bruce bowed his head to look at me. He was biting his bottom lip. His monitor began to beep a little more frequently.

"Tell me. Was I your nurse, or your patient?"

He remained silent. His eyes closed behind his glasses.

I stopped, "Answer me."

"Nurse!" His tone begged. "_Nurse Addison_."

My hand continued and I began to kiss his neck. Bruce's monitor began to beep rapidly. Touching him this way was too much. He looked at his wrist.

"Addison!"

His tone sounded different this time. I immediately stopped. "What's wrong? Did I do too much?"

"Addison." Bruce looked at me. He held up his wrist so I could see. He was past his danger zone. He should be in his Hulk form by now. His eyes were still brown. He was still Bruce. The serum worked.

"I'll be damned."

Bruce ripped the monitor off his wrist and threw it. He took off his glasses. My heart skipped a bit before he slammed his lips against mine. He pulled my body against his. I whimpered. His right hand tangled in my hair. Bruce nipped at my bottom lip. I opened my mouth. Our tongues met. We fell back onto the bed. Breathless, Bruce leaned his forehead against mine.

He looked into my eyes, "I've...wanted you for a while now, Addison. If it's all the same to you...I'm going to take you."

"Bruce..."

"Let me finish. I've waited for a long time to do this and you have too. If you want to make love, we will. If you want to fuck, we can do that. So what do you want, Addison? What do you want me to do to you?"

My whole body trembled. The way Bruce presented me with a choice. His arousal. My arousal. "I...Bruce...I..." I knew what I wanted but I couldn't say it. My face flushed.

Bruce understood. He wasted no time pulling my pants and underwear off. I gasped. I laid on the bed in nothing but my bra. Bruce stood in front of me, his arousal threatening to burst from his boxers. We were finally going to have this. He climbed on top of me and took my mouth. It surprised me just how dominant Bruce was in bed. I guess Tony was right. Bruce's right hand disappeared between my legs.

"Bruce!" My hips bucked. I looked down between us and saw him rubbing me gently.

He smirked, "You want to be fucked, but that doesn't mean I shouldn't play with you first."

I threw my head back. My eyes fluttered shut. After a moment, his index and middle fingers entered me but his thumb continued to rub me skillfully. I gripped the comforter. If he continued this way, I was going to come.

"God, Addison," Bruce gave an inward groan. "You're so tight! Do you...want me...inside you?"

My head nodded.

"No. Not good enough. I asked you a question, Addison." He removed his fingers from me and stuck them in his mouth. He slowly pulled them out. "You taste amazing." He lowered his head between my legs, his tongue drawing circles where his thumb was.

I arched my back, "Yes..."

Bruce stopped. He looked at me, his voice was husky. "Ads, I'm asking you if you want me. I don't think you do. Now, tell me, Addison Grimmshaw, do you want me inside you?"

"_Yes_..._please_, Bruce...Dr. Banner. Yes! I want you."

"Good. Because I want to know if you feel as amazing as you taste."

He moved up my body, spreading my legs so he could position himself between them. I wanted him now. I whined.

"A little eager, Addison?"

"You have no idea," I breathed.

"Oh, but I think I do." Without warning, Bruce entered me. My walls stretched to let him in. He gave me a gentle kiss on the lips. His hips pushed forward. I watched him close his eyes and hiss through his teeth. "Addison, you're so tight."

"You're not the only one who hasn't had sex in a while," I reminded. Bruce was my first boyfriend in almost three years. Three sexless years.

That reminder seemed to spark Bruce. "That's right. Good thing we found each other, huh, Nurse Addison?"

He pulled out, then thrust back in, this time deeper and rougher than the first time. I'd be lying if I said that didn't feel good.

I held onto his shoulders, "Dr. Banner! Please...more! Bruce!"

Bruce grabbed my left thigh pushing it back so he could go further inside me. I screamed. He silenced me with his lips. I could taste myself on his tongue. His pace grew quicker and soon he was pounding into me. With each shove of his hips, mine rose to meet his. I kept up with his pace. We gasped and moaned as our bodies rocked together.

"Addison...God you feel good!" He drove deep and quick, determined to get both of us off.

I felt a fire rise in the pit of my stomach, "Bruce...I...I..."

"Me...too," Bruce punctuated his words with quick thrusts of his hips.

He flipped us over. I sat on top of Bruce as he unhooked my bra. I suddenly felt exposed. I braced my hands on either side of his head and began to ride him. His hands held my butt, pushing me downward while he rose his hips to meet mine. I tossed my head back. The friction between our bodies made my heart beat faster. He kissed and nipped at my breasts.

I leaned forward, "I love you, Bruce."

"I love you too, Addison." Bruce looked at me with his kind eyes, "I love you so much."

"I'm so close."

He pulled my body against his. He placed his mouth on the base of my neck. I felt his tongue swirl and moaned. Bruce's thrusts grew more erratic. I struggled to match his pace. We were both on the edge. Without warning, Bruce bit down on my skin, pushed my hips down firmly and shoved himself deep inside me. I immediately came hard. Bruce's teeth let go of my neck. My walls clenched around him. My back arched. I couldn't even make out words. All that left my throat was a scream.

"Addison!" Bruce thrust deep inside me, reaching his release. I felt the warmth of his come shoot inside me. He grunted, "**Ads!**"

Our bodies slowed down from their climax. I'd never come that hard before. I got off of Bruce and laid down beside him. We looked at each other. Bruce and I were both sweaty and flushed with smiles on our faces. I curled into him, resting my head on his chest.

Bruce looked down at me, "Tony's right. You _are_ a screamer."

I lightly hit him.

"I'm sorry if I was a little too dominate. It's been years. I guess I just lost-"

"Don't apologize," I shook my head. "That was perfect. I...I needed that just as much as you did. I'm just glad we got to do that."

"Me too. I can't believe it worked."

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Please review!


	4. Transformation: Part 1

**Disclaimer: I only own Addison**

Thanks so much for your reviews!

* * *

_Four months ago_

"Look at how pretty everything is," Addison sat down on a wooden bench.

Bruce joined her, buttoning the top button of his peacoat. He looked around Tompkins Square Park. He had to admit it was pretty at night between the lights and the trees around them. Snow still clung to the ground reminding him of the day they first met.

Addison was rushing down the sidewalk in front of Stark Industries. She'd just gotten out of her cab and carried two travel coffee cups. She had to get both coffees to Pepper Potts and Vera Anderson at Stark Industries by 12 pm. Bruce had just exited the building and was on his way to pick up an order of schwarma for him and Tony. Addison attempted to check her watch, not noticing the man in front of her. Addison Grimmshaw and two hot coffees ran into Bruce Banner.

The dark liquid spilled onto Bruce and the snow covered ground. He brushed coffee off his coat and shook the liquid from his hands. Addison looked up at him, apologizing tearfully. He told her it was fine and asked her repeatedly if she was okay. Their eyes locked. His pulse started to rise. Her face flushed. Addison offered to pay his dry cleaning bill. She gave him her card with her number so he could call her later with the cost. After telling Tony about the incident, Tony urged him to go for it and call her. So Bruce did. She answered and they talked, but it definitely wasn't about the cost of his dry cleaning bill.

Now here they were. Bruce looked at the girl sitting beside him. If Tony hadn't been so hellbent on schwarma that day, Addison would never have run into Bruce. It was still hard for him to believe that today was their one year anniversary. For Bruce, it marked one year of dating a girl since the accident. For Addison, it marked one year of dating a guy that didn't find dealing with her anxiety overwhelming. To celebrate, Bruce had promised that he would take her wherever she wanted to go. Addison decided that she wanted to come here.

He watched her tuck her scarf into her coat. "What made you want to come here?"

"Good question," Addison turned to him, "Remember last night when I yelled at you and wanted to be alone?"

Bruce nodded. She'd gotten upset yesterday. Her anxiety was at an all time high. She had a terrible day at work and, in her words, 'couldn't do anything right'. He tried to stop her from leaving their apartment, worried that she was going to hurt herself. Addison broke down in tears, yelled at him, and ran outside. Bruce followed her and watched as she hailed a cab and left. She said she needed to be alone.

"So this is where you went when you gave me a heart attack," Bruce noted.

Addison hung her head, "I'm sorry. I just...I didn't know what to do. Talking to you wasn't an option at the time. I was out of my head. I came here and calmed down. I'm so sorry."

"Sweetheart, I'm not upset. I'm actually really glad you have a place that will relax you when you're anxious...Look at me," Bruce raised her chin. "I love you. If anyone told me a year ago that I'd be sitting on a bench with a girl I'd been dating for a year, I'd tell them they'd need their head examined."

Addison chuckled.

"I love you. Every bit of you. You scared me last night. I thought you were going to hurt yourself. I know your anxiety gets bad sometimes...and...and you can't control it any better than I can control The Other Guy...but please...please, try not to run off and scare me like that again. Okay?"

"Okay, I'll try." Addison placed her right hand on his shoulder while her left caressed the curls at the base of his neck. "Happy anniversary, Bruce."

"Happy anniversary, Addison." Bruce closed the distance between their lips.

Addison angled her head and kissed him back. They gave each other two kisses, then a few short pecks, before moving back into longer ones. Bruce's hands held her sides when he felt her tongue trace the top of his lower lip. He recognized it as Addison's cute way of asking for permission. With their lips locked, Bruce granted her access. Things grew a little more heated as their tongues teased one another's. Addison broke the kiss to take a breath.

Her hand touched his chest, "I think we should head back home now."

"I think so, too." Bruce agreed.

Addison pressed her lips to his one last time, giving his bottom lip a small nibble. A nibble that sent his pulse into the danger zone. Bruce pushed her away.

"What's wrong?" She watched him lean over and clench his fists. She touched his shoulder. "Bruce-"

"Don't touch me!" He growled.

Addison noticed then that his eyes were green. Her heart skipped a beat. They'd gone too far. Bruce had warned her this would happen. That's why they were always careful whenever they made out. She felt a sense of dread and panic wash over her. She didn't know what to do. Bruce's peacoat ripped at the seams. If anyone was around, Addison didn't notice. She got to her feet and knelt in front of him.

"Bruce!" She touched his knee. "Bruce! It's me. I know you're still in there. Bruce, please-"

He snarled at her, "Get away from me!"

She didn't move. She felt paralyzed. Bruce's hands had grown large and green. His body changed rapidly. Where Bruce sat was now a large, green monster. Addison's jaw dropped, her eyes widened. "Bruce..."

His threw his head back and roared. The Hulk had fully taken over. Hulk pushed Addison forcefully with one hand. She was tossed backward onto the pavement, her body rolling some feet from the momentum. When Addison stopped, she felt a sharp pain in her left wrist. Hulk lifted the bench where they were sitting. She watched in horror as he broke it in half with ease. Another roar and the bench was thrown at her. She curled into a ball to protect herself. Wooden shrapnel scraped the side of her face. The metal pieces missed her by inches. Hulk roared.

"Stop," Addison groaned herself. She straightened, flopping her dominate hand across her stomach. She prayed it wasn't broken. "Dammit, Bruce. Stop!"

Hulk stopped. He looked at the girl on the ground. She knew the little guy. She was small, pretty, and looked like she was in a decent amount of pain. Something told him that she belonged to the little guy. The little guy loved her. In fact, he loved her very much. The little guy said her name was Addison.

"Addy?" Hulk blinked at the brunette.

Addison's head snapped up. Bruce rarely called her Addy. It was usually Ads, Addison, or sweetheart. She nodded at Hulk. "Yes. Bruce...it's me...Addison."

Hulk dropped to one knee, "I hurt?"

"You're hurt?" Her heart pounded in her chest. She tried to get up, "Bruce, where are you hurt? What's wrong?"

Hulk let out a small growl that silenced her. "No," he pointed at her. "I hurt?"

"Oh! Yes...you hurt me. But it's...okay. I'll be okay."

"Hulk...hurt Addy." He held out his hand. The panic inside her made her want to skitter away from the large green man before her. "Hulk sorry."

Addison stopped and stared up at him in awe. He apologized. "It's okay, big guy. You...You didn't mean to. You didn't know who I was."

She tried to get to her feet. Hulk watched her struggle. To him, this little girl seemed so strange. The little guy was strange too. Hulk stood up with a huff. He pinched the back of Addison's shirt between his index finger and thumb. Carefully, he lifted her off the ground and placed her on her feet. She smiled.

"Thank you Hulk...um...Bruce...both of you."

"Addy...for...give?"

"Yes. I forgive you."

Hulk smiled. He looked down at her and felt the little guy take control again.

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Please review!

Okay, here's a clarification of the timeline. I realize it might be getting a bit confusing.

Addison and Bruce started dating February 10

Ch. 2: 1 year ago- Addison met Tony, she's been dating Bruce for 4 months (June 10, previous year)

Ch. 3: 2 months ago- The serum works, 1st time Bruce and Addison have sex (April 12, current year)

Ch. 1: Current Time- Addison is 4 weeks late, pregnant. (June 10, current year)

Ch. 1: 48 hour Mission when Bruce and Tony arrived a day late. Addison and Bruce have sex when he returns. Possible conception. (May 13, current year)

Ch. 4: 4 months ago- Hulk attacks Addison during her and Bruce's one year anniversary. (February 10, current year)


	5. Transformation: Part 2

**Disclaimer: I only own Addison. All panic/anxiety symptoms based from my own and speak for no one else's.**

I'm in the process of rewriting chapter 3. Hope you enjoy this chapter!

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Addison watched the Hulk smile at her and gave a small smile back. Blood from her cut began to dry against her face. Her wrist throbbed. She felt like she was in a dream. Bruce had told her that he was the Hulk. She'd seen the Hulk in the papers and on the news. But nothing, nothing, could prepare her for what had managed to happen in the last five minutes. Nothing could have prepared her for watching the man she loved turn into the strong, green man in person. Addison wasn't scared of the Hulk. No. What sent her own pulse pounding was the fear and panic inside of her. She couldn't do anything to help him or to stop the transformation from happening.

"Addy," Hulk's voice brought her back to reality. "Addy...stay?"

Addison's heart caught in her throat when she noticed the look on his face. His eyebrows were furrowed, and his eyes were cast downward. He was scared. She stepped forward, touching his hand anxiously. "I'm here, Bruce. I'm not going anywhere."

The Hulk's green skin transformed to Bruce's olive tone. His green eyes changed back to brown. His muscles and towering stature shrunk down to Bruce's normal frame. Addison felt Bruce's hand curl around hers and knew he was himself again. He held his pants up with his left hand while the two picked up the pieces of his shirt and coat. She shrugged off her coat and helped him put it on. At that moment, she was thankful that she'd bought a coat that was one size too big. It was a little snug on him, but she figured it was better than him walking around shirtless in freezing weather. She tied her scarf around his neck and felt pain surge through her left palm and fingers. Bruce would look at it later once they both had a chance to recover. The cold air stung her forehead as a gust of wind blew around the two of them. Bruce pulled her close to him and they walked toward the street to hail a cab.

The ride back to their apartment was a quiet one. Addison kept her face forward while Bruce stared down at his hands. She knew he was feeling guilty for what happened. However, she knew now wasn't the time to talk about it. The cab came to a stop in front of a six story brick building. Addison carefully stepped out followed by Bruce. Once he paid the driver, the two of them entered the lobby of their apartment complex.

Calvin the doorman looked curiously at the them. Between the blood on her face and Bruce wearing her coat and a torn pair of pants, Addison was sure they looked terrible. She gave him a smile that said they were okay.

"Have a good night, Miss." Calvin nodded.

It was another silent ride in the elevator up to the fourth floor. Addison took the keys from her pocket and tried to unlock the door to apartment 418. She cursed. With her dominant hand injured, twisting the key in the lock hurt more than she expected. She tried to unlock it with her right hand and failed. Bruce wordlessly unlocked the door for her.

Addison entered the apartment followed by Bruce. She'd never been so happy to be home. The lamp by the couch and the kitchen island lights were on. Between the lights and the warm air she felt particularly comforted. Addison went to their bedroom while Bruce placed her keys on the counter.

Once she was in their bedroom, she walked past the bed and entered their bathroom. Her feet padded across the tile floor. She turned on the water for the bathtub and began to undress. Her cold and wet clothes hit the floor. With each piece she removed, she noticed new spots on her body that were tender and would soon be purple and bruised. Addison caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror. There was a large diagonal cut that reached from the center of her head to her right temple. Bruce would probably have to stitch her up after tending to her wrist.

"Yeah, and a sweet and sour chicken with chow mein...yes and two egg rolls..."

Addison smiled. He was ordering her favorite comfort food for dinner. Hopefully by the time she finished bathing, she'd be up for eating. She turned the water off and stepped into the tub. The warmth of the water felt amazing on her skin as she sat down. She slid further under and rested her head back on the edge of the tub. She let out a groan.

"Addison."

She lifted her head. Bruce stood in the doorway. He still clutched his pants around his waist and he was shirtless again. He looked tired. Bruce put his glasses on. That's when he really noticed Addison's head for the first time.

"Oh, my God, Addison."

He saw bits of it while they were in the cab and the elevator, but Addison's face was turned half away from him. He had no idea it was this bad.

Addison looked at him with pained eyes, "Bruce."

Before she could stop him, Bruce was crouching beside the tub. He twisted her head from side to side, up and down, and then side to side again. His face fell. "God, Addison. I'm so sorry. Look what I did to you."

He stood up. He quickly grabbed a wash cloth from the shelf and returned to her side. He dipped the cloth in the water. "I'm so sorry," he dabbed at her cut. "I'm so sorry, Addison."

"It's not your fault," she cringed at the feel of the water under her skin. "It was The Other Guy. I should've stopped. We were in public. I'm sorry."

"I should've had control. I'm sorry. This is why Tony and I have been working on a suppression serum. I want to be able to be intimate with you without The Other Guy taking over. Hell, forget intimate. I just want to be able to kiss you without...this...happening."

"It's okay."

"I love you so much, Addison. I want to be able to show you one day. If you'd like, there's other ways. I could-"

She shook her head. No. She didn't even want to discuss this, let alone entertain the idea. "N-Not if I can't return the favor. Let's just wait...until you and Tony figure things out. Until then, I'll be more careful when we're kissing. Okay?"

"Okay."

Bruce lifted her left hand from under the water. He pressed her fingers and palm gently, moving his touch up to her wrist and back. Noises of discomfort left Addison's lips. He kissed her wrist.

"Um...I-I'm sorry sweetheart, but your wrist is fractured and your forehead's going to need some stitches." Bruce stopped. "Addison, what's wrong?"

She was about to ask him what he was talking about when she noticed the tears clouding her vision. Addison wiped at her eyes furiously. Dammit. Calm down, calm down, she needed to calm down. She let out a sob and buried her face in her hands. Bruce couldn't take it anymore. He let what was left of his pants and underwear fall to his feet. Carefully, he stepped into the tub and sat in front of Addison. He pulled her body into his. Her arms flew around him. Bruce wrapped his left arm around her back, his chin resting on the top of her head. He stroked the back of her head protectively.

"I really scared you, didn't I?"

"I couldn't...I didn't know how...to help you," Addison hiccuped. "I didn't know how...I felt so helpless. I didn't know how to stop The Other Guy...I knew you were in there but...God...Bruce..."

Bruce swallowed, "I can...understand if you want to leave."

Addison looked up at him. Did he really think she'd leave? Did he want her to leave? "No."

"W-W-What?" He felt shocked and relieved.

"I want to stay with you."

She wanted to stay? Even though he—well, The Other Guy— hurt her. Even though she was left handed and he'd fractured her wrist. Even though her forehead was cut and would need stitches. Even though he would probably have to console her every night because she would have nightmares. Even though she'd probably have anxiety attacks about this later. Addison wanted to stay with him.

"Are you sure about this? Even though I turn into The Other Guy?" asked Bruce. He had to make sure. He had to make sure she was willing to do this with him...every side of him.

"I won't leave,"Addison pulled her knees into her chest. "I don't want to leave you, Bruce. I accept you and The Other Guy. But...I need to know if you won't leave me even though I have issues with my anxiety."

Bruce looked straight into her eyes, "I won't leave you, Addison."

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Please review!


	6. A Family?

**Disclaimer: I only own Addison**

I'm not sure which chapter, it might be the next one, but something involving The Other Guy is going to happen. **Thank you so much for your comments, favorites, and follows. I really appreciate it!**

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I sat on the edge of the bathtub, waiting for the time to pass. My toes tapped impatiently. I brought my hand to my mouth and started to chew my nails. Bruce came into the bathroom and sat down next to me.

"It's going to be okay."

"What if I'm not actually pregnant?" I asked, biting at my cuticles. "What if there's something wrong with me? What if it turns out I have cancer or something? What if I'm dying and I don't even know it?"

Bruce took my hand from my mouth, "Hey, look at me."

I did.

"You are fine. If you were dying, I would have noticed and gotten you to a hospital. I'm a doctor, remember? When I was in Calcutta, I dealt with people who were very sick and dying. I can tell you right now that you're most likely sick because you have our baby growing inside you."

"I guess you're right."

"I know I'm right," he gave me a reassuring smile. "How much time?"

Looking at my watch, I saw that three minutes had passed. I stood up and reached for Bruce's hand—I couldn't bring myself to look by myself. He took it.

"It's going to be okay."

Together, we walked to the counter. Four different pregnancy test brands sat before me. Bruce purchased them for me an hour ago. I was still puking when he went, that time from the anxiety of possibly being pregnant. He was so accepting when I asked for four. It was ridiculous, but I wanted to be extra sure. With the way I was throwing up, it's a miracle I was even able keep down enough water to generate enough pee for four tests. I took a deep breath and grabbed the first test. A pink plus sign stared up at me.

"Bruce."

"See?" He squeezed my hand. "I told you."

I picked up the next test and saw two lines.

"Positive. Two out of four."

The next test showed another plus sign and the final test had a single word: pregnant.

"How do you feel, Ads?"

My hand moved to my stomach. Pregnant. It was official; I had four tests to show for it, I was pregnant. Bruce and I were going to have a baby. I faced him and smiled.

"I think it's safe to tell Tony now."

...

"She's what? You're what?"

Tony put down his soldering iron and looked from Bruce to me. We were in his workshop. There were computers, virtual screens, Iron Man suits, tools, tables with blueprints, and two bots named Dum-E and U.

"Sir," said Jarvis. "I believe Ms. Grimmshaw announced that she and Dr. Banner are expecting a child. Shall I contact Ms. Potts?"

"Yeah," Tony looked at Bruce and smirked. "Making good use of that serum?"

Embarrassed, Bruce rubbed the back of his neck. "Uh, I don't think we should be talking about my and Addison's sex life."

"Why aren't we talking about Bruce and Addison's sex life?" Pepper's voice came overhead on speaker phone.

"Can't say," Tony shrugged. "Rex, why don't you tell her?"

"Tell me what? What's going on?"

I glared at Tony who began typing something, "Pepper...it turns out that the reason I've been sick so much is because I'm pregnant."

"You're pregnant?!" The excitement in her voice rang through the room. "Oh my God! How far along are you? When did it happen? How do you know?"

"I don't know how far along I am or exactly when it happened. I took like four pregnancy tests today. It's official. Bruce and I are going to have a baby."

"Yeah, Pep," Tony clapped his hands together and snapped. "I guess that serum works. They humped like bunnies and now they're going to have a neurotic kid with anger problems." I hit Tony in the peck. "Ah! Rex, I'm just kidding."

I stuck out my tongue at him. Meeting Tony was another good thing that came with meeting Bruce. I gained an annoying yet loveable big brother. We play fought like children causing Bruce and Pepper to have to reign us in like we were children. Tony stuck out his tongue back at me. I took a blank sheet of paper from the table beside me, crumpled it, and threw it at him. After Tony dodged it, he pointed at me and looked at Bruce.

"Control your girlfriend, Banner."

Bruce sighed, "I can't do that, because she's not my girlfriend."

I spun around to face my boyfriend. My stomach churned, I began to feel sick again. Just moments ago, he was telling me that he loved me and was willing to stay with me. He told me we were going to be a family, him, me, and our child. I put my hand on my chest. Tony's smile dropped for a moment. His eye caught sight of Bruce's hand in his jacket pocket and smirked.

"What do you mean she's not your girlfriend?" Pepper's voice sounded upset. I could almost see her face beginning to fall.

"Because…hopefully, she won't be my girlfriend anymore." He held up a velvet box. "I was actually planning on asking you this Saturday, Addison"

I prayed I wouldn't have a panic attack. "W-What?"

"Yeah, I was going to take you to dinner and do this in the park. But, considering the circumstances," Bruce knelt down on his left knee. "I don't want to waste anymore time."

My hands shot up to my mouth. Bruce opened the box to reveal a modest ring. My heart started pounding. I looked at the silver, princess cut ring that held a square diamond in the center. It was probably only a carat and a half but it was perfect. I put a hand on my chest and let out a sob.

"Addison Grimmshaw, I love you very much. I can't imagine being with anyone else. You've accepted my condition with The Other Guy, and I've loved you through every anxiety attack and every worry your GAD has brought you. Addison, I will continue to love you no matter what symptoms you have. I guess...what I'm trying to say is, will you marry me?"

I didn't hesitate, "Yes."

As Bruce slid the ring on my finger with a smile, I thought about all the panic attacks he saw me through. I thought about the ways he told me and showed me he loved me. I thought about The Hulk. I thought about the way Bruce takes care of me and I take care of him. I thought about walking down the aisle and saying, 'I do'. I thought about Bruce carrying me over the threshold in my wedding dress. I thought about me calling him my husband. I thought about him calling me his wife. I thought about giving birth to our baby with Bruce by my side.

Every ounce of anxiety left my body. I smiled. Bruce was _the one_. There was no question about it. Once he stood, Bruce embraced my waist, his lips finding mine. I opened my mouth, our tongues danced. My hands held his ran through his hair. We ended the kiss and pressed our foreheads together.

"Did she say, 'yes'?" Pepper asked. "I thought I heard a 'yes'."

Tony chuckled, "Yes! Relax, Pep. She said 'yes'! You can start screaming, it's safe now."

Pepper rejoiced with a scream and the call got disconnected. Bruce and I laughed.

"Well, she's on her way here."

U rolled over to me with a bottle of champagne. When I reached for it, the bot dropped it, causing it to shatter all over the floor. I jumped away from the glass and Bruce held me closer. We looked down at the shards and watched the liquid spread.

Tony's head shot up. "Dammit, U! See what you did, butterfingers? Clean that up and go into the corner. What the hell were you doing bringing a pregnant woman champagne in the first place? Say you're sorry."

U looked at me and made a noise, his three digits opening then closing.

"I swear to God, I'm gonna take you apart and give you to a scrap yard."

He looked at Tony, who stared back angrily, then hung his head and rolled to get a broom. Dum-E rolled over with a bottle of water. He waited for me to grab it and then rolled away.

"Congratulations, Dr. Banner and Ms. Grimmshaw," Jarvis chimed. "I have updated my interface for the both of you. Ms. Grimmshaw, would you like for me to begin calling you Mrs. Banner before or after your wedding?"

"Hmm, Addison Marie Banner," Bruce approved. "It's got a nice ring to it."

"It does," I agreed.

"I assume before the wedding will be fine with you, Mrs. Banner?" confirmed Jarvis.

"Yes, Jarvis, I think it'll be more than fine with me."

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Please review! Okay, so there's two bots, Dum-E and U, that we see and speculation as to whether or not Butterfingers exists. In this fic, I'm only going to do the two main bots and have U's nickname be Butterfingers whenever he breaks things like he did in this chapter.


	7. Happy

**Disclaimer: I only own Addison and her family and friend.**

This one's a little long, but I hope you enjoy meeting a bit of Addison's family.

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I glanced over my shoulder and saw Happy at a magazine rack. He held an issue of Premier Bride close to his face. He looked up for a moment, caught me staring at him, and returned his eyes to the magazine.

"Dammit Tony." I muttered. I couldn't believe he was having Happy trail me. Turning around, I motioned at the bodyguard to come closer. "Happy."

He pretended not to see me, so I walked to where he was. I tapped his shoulder.

Happy smiled at me. "Hey, Addison! Interesting running into you here!"

"Whatcha looking at, wedding magazines?" I pointed to the issue of Premier Bride in his hands.

"Oh this? Yeah, Pepper sent me to look for some stuff for you actually. You know, give you some ideas."

"Uh huh," I nodded. "Pepper wouldn't happen to have a goatee, would she?"

"What are you talking about? Pepper sent me out—"

"Tony had you trail me, didn't he?"

"Yeah, Tony had me trail you," admitted Happy. "But it wasn't exactly trailing. See, he wants to make sure you and that baby of yours are safe, which congrats by the way. A baby and an engagement, I'm happy for you. I really am."

I grinned, "Thanks Happy, but that's not going to make me forget that you're trailing me. I know Tony worries and he just wants me safe cause I'm with his best friend but I'm fine. I can handle myself. See you later, okay?"

"Okay."

I resumed walking down the sidewalk to my original destination: my coffee shop. A feeling that someone was following me crept up on me. I spun around. Happy was three feet behind me, this time pretending to look at his phone. He wasn't going to stop following me anytime soon. I continued walking, pulled out my own phone, and tapped the arrow next to Bruce's name. A picture of him from the Stark Industries Christmas party appeared. He was holding a piece of mistletoe over our heads and was planting a kiss on my cheek. Pepper had just snapped the picture before he'd pulled away.

I chose the number to his cell phone and brought the phone to my ear. The phone rang twice before he picked up.

"Hello?" answered Bruce. He was concentrating on something, I could hear it in his voice. I felt bad for interrupting.

"Hey fiancé."

"Addison, " His tone shifted and he sounded how he usually did when we talked. "What's going on, fiancée?"

I loved the way that word felt on my tongue almost as much as I loved the way it sounded coming out of his mouth. "Nothing really. Are you busy?"

"A bit, but I need to stop for a minute anyway or I'll end up cross contaminating and having to start over. Is everything okay? You sound like something's up."

"Well, something is. Did you know that Tony's got Happy following me?"

"What?"

"Yeah."

Bruce groaned, "You're joking, right? Please tell me you're joking."

"Nope." I grinned. "He's right behind me. He's like a puppy, I can't shake him."

"I can't say I'm surprised." He moved the phone from his mouth, "Tony!"

"No, no, no. I'll talk to him. Just go back to your research, okay babe?"

"Are you sure?"

I entered my shop and waved at my aunt. "Positive. I'm gonna call him right now."

"I could just pass the phone to him," mentioned Bruce.

"Nope, this needs to be personal." I watched Happy pace outside the window. He looked like he was going to take out the kid with a mohawk who frequented Grimmshaw's every Wednesday at this time.

"Alright. See you when I get home. I love you, Addison."

"I love you, too Bruce. Be calm."

He chuckled, "I'm trying."

I hung up, scrolled past calls to Bruce, my mom, and Pepper. I tapped the arrow next to Tony's name and a picture of him came up. He was sleeping with Sharpie drawings on his face. Tony didn't know I had this picture, and if he did, he said nothing about it. I pressed the number for his private cell.

"Okay, care to explain Creeper McGee back there?" My best friend gestured at Happy. Her black hair was pulled into a bun and she had an eyebrow arched upward suspiciously.

"That's Tony's bodyguard. He's not a creeper, Mia."

Aunt Cate came over, her hands on her hips, "Why's he looking at you like that?"

Next, my mom came over. "Honey, what's-"

"I'm handling it," I held the phone to my ear.

"What's shakin', Rex?" Tony sounded relaxed as always.

"No, you don't get to 'what's shaking Rex' me!" I watched Happy enter the store, glare at the mohawk kid, and take a seat at the back. "Care to explain why Happy's following me?"

"I told him to keep a low profile. How did you even notice him?"

"Tony, I'm going to lower your profile if you don't call him off. He's stressing me out and scaring customers."

"Whoa, Rex, aren't we feisty? I feel like I'm hearing a side of you that only Banner hears in the bedroom."

"I swear to God, Tony!" Bruce shouted. "If you upset my fiancée or send her into an anxiety attack because of this, I'm going to—"

"Damn, now you're both angry."

"I'm not angry, I'm annoyed."

I brought a hand to my forehead, "Tony, could you please just call him off?"

"Fine!" Tony sighed.

"Good. I don't need a bodyguard, but thank you for thinking of me."

"Whatever. See you later, Rex."

"Bye, Stark."

I hung up, taking a cup of water that Mia handed to me. I needed to breathe. According to the doctor, being 34 and pregnant wasn't entirely a bad thing, but I would have to be careful about my stress levels. I watched Happy answer his phone. He nodded a few times, glanced at me, then slipped out the door. Tony called him off. Good. I took a sip of water.

"How's it feel being engaged to a silver fox?" Mia grinned.

I almost choked. It'd been at least a week since Bruce proposed and I'd told her. "Bruce is 44! He's not a silver fox!"

Mia and I have been best friends since college. Even though she stood a few inches taller, she was the same age as me. Mia was chubby, sweet, fun-loving, and a joker. What I loved most was that she never failed to be there for me whenever I had a panic attack or needed someone to talk to. The moment I introduced her to Bruce, she pulled me aside and told me that he was the one for me. Low and behold, she was right.

"He's got gray hair and he's attracted you," she gestured at me, "a girl much younger than him."

"Mia, I'm not that much younger than him."

"You're ten years younger than him, you're pregnant, and you're gonna be married. If he's not a silver fox now, he's gonna be in eighteen years when your kid graduates. He'll be...what, 62?"

"Why are we suddenly so good at math today?" I sighed.

"I'm just saying. You caught yourself a silver fox!" Mia held up my left hand so she could see my ring. "A silver fox with taste and friends in high places."

"Are you talking about Tony Stark?" My mother refilled the display case with cinnamon rolls. "Sweetie, I heard you talking to him a few minutes ago. I'm not judging you but I think he's a bad influence. Especially if he's associated with that shifty guy that just left."

My mom's dirty blonde hair was graying and she had crows feet, but she looked good for 50. While she was short and average in stature, she was emotionally strong. My mom raised me alone as a teenager and learned how to take over a business simultaneously. Because of this, I grew up around the shop. I started bussing tables when I was eight.

Aunt Cate, on the other hand, was pear shaped with dyed blonde hair. She had no children, unless you counted her corgis Sammy and Sprinkle. Things tended to come easier for her since she didn't have kids at 17. They were polar opposites, but they both cared about me and the shop.

"Mom," I began. "Happy isn't shifty."

"Look, don't get me wrong, he does a lot of good with Iron Man. Plus, he's gotten better with his abilities to run a company since he put Virginia in charge. But just make sure you're careful around him. If he hurts you, or does anything to make your condition worse, or messes up your relationship with Bruce, I may have to harm him."

Aunt Cate shook her head, "Jenna, you're gonna have to get behind me, cause I'm gonna have a baseball bat. Especially if he messes up you and your fiancé. Bruce is the best thing that's happened to you. You were like a rabbit before him. Just scared of everything, freaking out, and now you're just a skittish deer. Now that's progress."

Mia and I stared at my mother and my aunt. She shrugged.

"Just sayin'. It's progress that your medication alone hasn't done. You need him probably more than he needs you."

I looked down at my feet. Mia touched my shoulder. Even after my injuries in the park on our anniversary, I hadn't told my family everything about Bruce. Of course I told Mia. She flipped at first, but understood. I made her swear not to tell my mom or aunt and she's been silent ever since. Mom and Aunt Cate had no clue that Bruce was the Hulk and I wanted to keep it that way, even though Bruce didn't. He wanted to tell them at least before the wedding, if not before I gave birth. I didn't want to tell them until I absolutely _had_ to tell them.

I bit my lip, "You're wrong. He needs me just as much as I need him."

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Please review!


	8. Like Gravity or An Anaconda

**Disclaimer: I only own Addison and her family.**

I've been busy writing other stories and just finished catching up with Hannibal earlier this week. Anyway, I hope you enjoy this chapter. I liked writing it.

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"Banner! Is it true that you and the Son of Addi are to be wed?"

Thor's booming voice startled me as Bruce and I entered the room. Tony called an Avenger's meeting at his place. Even though it was a meeting for Avengers, Tony insisted that Bruce bring me with him. We entered to find Steve's jaw open, Natasha suppressing a smile, and Clint nervously fiddling with the zipper on his jacket.

"What's going on?" I asked.

"Tony, you told me this meeting started at 5." Bruce looked at the billionaire.

He shrugged, "Yes, for you it started at 5. It was 4:30 for everyone else. How else was I going to let them in on the news?"

"Banner!" Thor walked towards us. "Is it true that you are wedding Son of Addi?"

The Avengers in the room looked from Thor to Bruce. The way the Thunder God referred to me usually caused a few smiles, but not today. While Thor knew I was female, and certainly was not the son of a man named Addi, it was a name that stuck. If Tony was like my brother, then Thor was my overprotective father.

Bruce took off his glasses, "Uh...yeah. Addison and I are getting married. I proposed to her a couple of weeks ago." He looked at Tony. "Did you tell them?"

"Of course I did, Big Guy. It's Avengers business if you get married and procreate."

Thor's eyes widened. Clint and Steve looked up at us. Natasha covered her mouth. Bruce and I sighed.

"Son of Addi," Thor placed his hands firmly on my shoulders, "does the metal man speak the truth? Are you with child?"

I nodded, "Um, yes. Bruce and I are going to have a baby. I'm about six weeks pregnant."

"A baby! This brings me great joy!"

"Whoa!" My feet left the floor. Thor was lifting me up. His hands held my upper arms firmly as he raised me into the air. Now I knew how Simba felt. I looked down at him with a smile. "You're really happy about this, aren't you?"

"Thor put her down!" Steve looked alarmed.

"Infants are one of the most beautiful creations in all of the Nine Realms. It makes me truly happy to see you continuing the Midgardian race." Thor set me gently on my feet. He looked into my eyes, "I promise you...no, I swear to you. I will do everything in my power to keep evil away from you and your unborn child."

I chuckled, "Thank you, Thor."

"Do not make light of this, Son of Addi. You and Banner have created a child. I will see to it that this child is protected." He looked around at his fellow Avengers. "We all should."

"And we all will." Steve stepped forward. "I agree with Thor. I'll protect your kid as well."

Natasha folded her arms, "I think it's a great that you and Bruce are engaged and expecting. However, it's also a dangerous thing. There's no telling what's out there. What might want to come after you, not only because you have the child of one the smartest scientists in the country, but because Dr. Banner here should have died of the radiation-"

"Natasha," Clint touched her shoulder. "Your point is well made, but just relax and be happy for the two of them. I mean, it's really great, Bruce. I'm happy you found someone. You two really need each other."

"I can't relax, Clint. I will protect the two of them, as long as I'm in the Avengers Initiative, but they need to realize, that child will be sought after. People will want to see if it will have the same abilities as it's father. You guys need to be really careful."

"We understand that, Natasha." Bruce stepped forward. "You don't think I've considered what danger I might have placed Addison in? I've considered this danger since the first time the two of us went out. Not just the danger I'm placing her in with the threat of my pulse and the Other Guy, but the danger of being with me _because_ of the Other Guy."

Steve, Natasha, Clint, Thor, and even Tony looked at him quizzically. I knew what he meant. The danger of our relationship before my pregnancy lied with the possibility of him Hulking out and hurting me again, and the possibility of someone taking me because I was with him. Because I was with Bruce and he was the Hulk. I remember the nights when Bruce would wake up in a cold sweat and hug me close to him. I remember asking him what was wrong. I remember him telling me that they got me. I didn't know who they were, and neither did Bruce. But whoever 'they' were, it scared him to death and, if this was how he reacted, it scared me too. I remember him saying they took me because they wanted answers, because they thought I knew something about the Hulk. They thought they could use me to get to him. I remember one night Bruce pulled me into him and cried. That was the night just after he'd told me about the Hulk. That was the night I became fully aware of just how dangerous it was for me to be with him.

Natasha dropped her arms and looked at him almost remorsefully.

"You think we don't know," Bruce continued. "You think we're naïve. Addison and I...we've discussed the dangers about life with me before she got pregnant. Don't think we haven't discussed it now that she's pregnant. This wasn't something we'd planned, Natasha. I planned proposing to Addison. I didn't plan knocking her up. This baby was a surprise."

I stepped away from Thor's hold. He was getting upset. I could tell his pulse was rising dangerously, I could hear it in his voice. When I placed my hand in Bruce's, I could feel the quickness in the beat. Natasha opened her mouth to speak.

"I-I think what Bruce is trying to say is that I'm fully aware of what danger I'm in. W-We're fully aware." I sighed. "Like Bruce said, we didn't plan to get pregnant. If you'd told me a year ago that I'd be pregnant, I'd probably kick your ass. The engagement was a surprise...so I guess Bruce and Tony did a good job keeping that from me."

Tony blinked at me, "Me? I don't know what you're talking about. I wasn't keeping anything from you, Rex."

I shot him a look.

"Christ, Banner. She's like a lie detector the way she sees right through me. She's worse than Pepper."

"Anyway, Natasha, I understand your concern-we understand your concern. But Bruce and I...w-we need you on our side. We can't do this alone. I can't do this alone. If what you say is true...and there are...people out there that want me or want our baby, then I'm going to need protection if and when that time comes. We're going to need trained assassins. Not that the Other Guy, an everything proof shield, a Mjölnir, and Iron Man can't do the trick."

Natasha sighed, "If something happens, Clint and I will protect you, Addison. It's our job as part of the Avengers Initiative. But, you do know that Fury is going to want to know about this."

"But I do know, Romanoff." Nick Fury entered the room.

"It's a family reunion!" said Tony. "I always hated those."

"Dr. Banner, Ms. Grimmshaw. I know about the two of you and while, I'm happy for you, Natasha has a point. We're going to have to watch you two closely. I don't want anything happening that will jeopardize either of you or S.H.I.E.L.D."

Bruce nodded. His arm slipped around my waist and pulled me protectively beside him. "Understandable."

"We know that the possibility of your child being born with the same time of radiation phenomenon as you have is slim. However, once your baby is born, we want to do some tests-"

"Tests?" Bruce and I asked.

"Yes, just to make sure everything is...normal."

I shook my head. I pictured a baby crying while S.H.I.E.L.D agents took it away, poking and prodding it. My heart began to pound. I began to feel like I was losing control of the situation. "I...I..."

"Addison," Bruce whispered. "Are you going to be okay? Take deep breaths."

"Just...No..." I looked at Fury and firmly said, "No! I'm sorry, Nick Fury, but no. I don't want you or S.H.I.E.L.D testing our child. No!"

Everyone stared at me. But Fury continued to press the issue. "Be reasonable, Addison-"

"No," Bruce agreed. "I'm with my fiancée. I don't want S.H.I.E.L.D touching our baby."

"Bruce-"

We shook our heads, "No!"

"Careful, Nick. You don't want Hulk and Rex angry. You wouldn't like them when they're angry. They're a force to be reckoned with like gravity...or an anaconda."

Bruce and I were too upset with Fury to shoot Tony a glare.

Thor approached Fury, "I believe Son of Addi and Banner have made it very clear that they don't want the infant harmed."

"It won't be harmed," Fury began.

"Anyone else call bullshit?" Tony asked.

Steve chuckled.

Fury rolled his eye, "I can see I'm speaking to deaf ears."

"Not deaf," said Bruce. "Just reasonable."

"Look, just keep it in mind."

"Don't worry," I narrowed my eyes. "We won't."

* * *

Please review.


	9. Beyond the Sea

I'm so sorry for the long wait. Summer was ridiculously busy with family stuff and this semester got off to a rocky start. Excuses aside, I have an somewhat important announcement.

**If you have Archive of Our Own account or visit that frequently, know that this fic is also on there and is updated simultaneously with this site. My username is on my profile. **If something happens to this fic, please go there.

Anyway, here's the next chapter.

* * *

"Come on, Big Guy! I know you know how to move."

Bruce shot Tony a look. "Doing the 'Thriller' dance at your Halloween party doesn't count."

We were sitting on the couch in Tony's living room, me in the middle and Bruce on the arm. Pepper and I were supposed to go out to look at wedding dresses but Tony distracted us by discussing our first dance. I was kind of grateful because I was still feeling nauseous. Today was actually the first day I hadn't thrown up and I wanted to keep it that way. I sipped slowly from my cup of blueberry Emergen-C in an attempt to replenish all the nutrients I'd been losing.

"Sure it does!" Tony waved a hand, making his way to a monitor on the wall. "Complicated steps, moving in unison with other humans. I'm sorry, if I'm not mistaken, that counts as dancing. Doing old school MJ moves is dancing. And you, Big Guy, can dance."

I covered my mouth to suppress a grin. That was the first time I ever saw Bruce dance. Before that day, he never struck me as a guy that could move. If anything, I thought he'd have two left feet like myself. He proved me wrong.

"Tony," Bruce took his glasses off and pinched the bridge of his nose.

"I've got a few songs that I think would be great for your first dance. Why don't you and Rex dance a little bit? You know, practice for the big day."

The fact that Tony had put more thought to my first dance with Bruce than I had, didn't surprise me in the slightest. Not only was Tony always three steps ahead, but he was actually more excited for our wedding than Bruce and I were. Tony already reserved a place for the ceremony and the reception, while Pepper booked a week-long honeymoon for the two of us in Oahu.

"JARVIS, give us a tango." As the music began, Tony swayed his hips from side to side, snapping his fingers. His feet moved in a complicated pattern. "Come on, Rex. The Tango is a really sensual dance. You and Banner could do this. Easy peasy."

My heart started to pound at the thought of doing the tango with Bruce. Tony was right, it would be very sensual. Bruce would probably have to take a shot to be on the safe side. Then again, in order for it to be sensual, I would have to be able to dance.

I shook my head, "Um...Tony...I can't...I can't dance. I'm terrible at dancing."

"Rex, relax," Tony waved his hand. "Let the Big Guy lead and you'll be just fine. Tangoing is easy."

"Easy," Bruce shook his head and chuckled. "Yeah, no. Tangoing is not the easiest dance, Tony. JARVIS, play 'Beyond the Sea'. I want to slow dance with my fiancée."

"The Nemo version. That's the best one."

As he folded his glasses and hung them on the pocket of his shirt, I felt my stomach flip. I couldn't tell if it was the baby, the idea of me dancing, or the beginning of a panic attack. My teeth bit down on my lower lip. I tried to take a deep breath, but I couldn't.

"C'mon Ads," he offered me his hand. "Let's dance."

I slid my shaky palm into his, "Bruce...I…."

When he looked into my eyes, I could tell he knew I was about to go into a panic attack. He ran a thumb over my knuckles and led me to the middle of the floor. "You're gonna be okay, Addison. Don't be scared. Slow dancing is really easy. You can move to music right?"

"Yeah..."

"Then this should be very easy for you. Ads, just follow me. I've got you."

He pulled me close to him, his left hand in my right, his right hand on my lower back. Unsure of what to do with my left hand, I rested it on his right shoulder like they did in the movies. I hadn't slow danced since high school and I already began to feel a lot more comfortable than I did back then. Bruce and I swayed with the music. This was easier than I thought it would be. Maybe I'd gotten better now that I was in my 30s. I felt myself begin to relax a bit more.

"Think you can handle something more advanced?" Bruce asked.

I nodded, "I think I can handle it."

"Ready?" Bruce took my hand, raised it high and twirled me around. He pulled me back into him and smiled. "How was that? Not too hard, huh?"

"That was easy enough," I shrugged with a smile.

"See, I told you."

I rested my head against his chest. The two of us rocked from side to side. I felt comfortable. I felt safe.

Bruce kissed my ear and began to sing softly. "Happy we'll be beyond the sea, and never again I'll go sailing."

* * *

"Addison..." Bruce leaned his forehead against mine.

We came down from our highs, our breath colliding as he lingered inside me. I closed my eyes. I loved how full he made me feel. I propped myself up on my elbows and took his lips with mine. Bruce kissed me back eagerly. His hand cupped the back of my head, pulling us closer together, his tongue mingling with mine. I moaned. He ran his fingers over my bra and down my stomach.

I pulled away breathlessly, "I love you, Bruce."

"I love you, too, Ads."

Bruce pulled out slowly, laid down beside me, and I rested my head against his chest. His heart was pounding from our recent activities. I sighed contently. He ran his fingers through my hair. I pulled the tangled sheets up to our waists.

"Addison?"

I looked up at him, "Hm?"

"When are you going to tell your mother and aunt about me?"

My heart skipped a beat and not in a good way. I hadn't expected him to bring up this subject, especially not after we'd just had sex. I bit my lip, "What made you bring this up now?"

"Well, the Other Guy is half of who I am." Bruce rubbed my check with his thumb. "He's the reason why I have to give myself a serum before we can get intimate and why S.H.I.E.L.D has suddenly taken a serious interest in you, our relationship, and our baby. I've been thinking about it for a while and with that sudden appearance by Fury, it got me thinking. I don't want to scare you, honey, but if something serious were to happen to you because of me...I just," he gave a sigh. "Honey, your family deserves to know the risks of you being with me because of the Other Guy. I know you don't want to, but when exactly are you going to tell your family about my...tendencies?"

"_Tendencies_?" I chuckled. "You make it sound like you're a deviant or something."

Bruce smiled, "You know what I mean."

"I know you want me to tell them, but I...I can't."

"Why not?"

"They won't understand. They won't want us together. They'll flip out as soon as they find out that you're the Hulk and they'll realize that I wasn't really mugged in the park on our anniversary and that it was the Other Guy. They won't want you near our baby. Hell, they probably won't even want us to keep the baby-"

"Ads, honey," Bruce's voice was gentle as he spoke. "Is this you talking, or the anxiety?"

I hung my head, "Both."

"Addison, your aunt and your mother love you, right?"

I nodded.

"Do they want you to be happy?"

"Yeah, but-"

"But nothing. Honey, are you happy with me...with us?"

"Of course," I stated. "That's not even a question. I love you, Bruce. I love our baby and I want to marry you. I'm beyond happy with you. I'm home when I'm with you, Bruce."

"Your aunt and your mother love you and have your happiness at heart." Bruce began. "Your happiness is being with me. I think they'd be accepting of my condition. Addison, it means a lot to me for them to know about me. Don't you think your mother deserves to know the truth about her future son-in-law?"

After a moment, I lifted my head and gave him a soft kiss on the lips. "You're right. I need to tell them. But, I can't face them by myself. I'm too scared...especially if they don't take it so well. Bruce, would you mind...coming with me when I tell them?"

"Of course," Bruce laced his fingers with mine. "We're in this together, Addison."

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This chapter isn't my best. Please review and thanks for waiting for so long!


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